Ralph Ellis runs you through what we learned from the weekend's football... with relief in East London and a look through the leagues, too. This week includes Carlton Cole's contract situation, James Milner's important (if short) role at Manchester City and Tim Sherwood's first call at Spurs may be his best.

1) Carlton Cole’s short-term contract at West Ham runs out this month and Hammers are talking to him about a new deal.

But if the 30-year-old chooses not to play second fiddle to Andy Carroll now the £17million man is close to being fit he’s done a good job of putting himself in the shop window for other clubs.

His goal at Cardiff meant he has scored on both of his Premier League starts – and his four goals in all have come at a rate of one every 99 minutes.

Come and get me: Cole may find himself out of favour at West Ham when Carroll fully returns

Milner gets the job done

2) James Milner has become the go-to man for Manchester City when you need to hang on to a lead.

Manuel Pellegrini turned to him for the final 11 minutes at Newcastle, and he kept the ball superbly with 11 of 12 passes finding a team-mate – including the one that set up Alvaro Negredo’s goal that clinched the 2-0 win.

His pass completion rate has been better than 90 per cent in eight of the 13 times he’s come off the bench this season.

Solid: Milner has been Manchester City's Mr Reliable this season in all competitions

3) In the days of extravagant squad numbers, Burnley might be heading to the Premier League with a delightfully traditional look about them.

Sean Dyche’s side which won 2-1 at Yeovil were the only one of the 90 clubs to play so far this weekend fielding a goalkeeper and back four wearing shirts from one to five.

For good measure prolific front pair Sam Vokes and Danny Ings are nine and 10, and for a few minutes after substitute Junior Stanislas replaced Keith Treacy, only two of their outfield players were wearing numbers higher than 11.

Number game: Burnley might be heading to the Premier League with a delightfully traditional look about them

Bentaleb is making Spurs tick

4) One of the first things Tim Sherwood did when he was promoted to take charge of Spurs was push teenager Nabil Bentaleb into the first team. The French-born 19-year-old, who has spent three years at Tottenham’s academy after being let go by Lille, has grabbed the chance.

He made Tottenham tick against Palace, and his 99 accurate passes from 106 attempts has only been bettered by six midfield men in the Premier League all season.

Prospect: Bentaleb was a handful against Crystal Palace on Saturday and is getting attention in the top flight

5) If the Premier League is supposed to be no place for old men, then Fulham must be in even more danger of relegation than their 4-1 thumping at home by Sunderland would suggest.

Of Rene Meulensteen’s starting line-up at Craven Cottage, only Adel Taarabt was under 28 – and the average age was 30 years and two months.

Experienced or ageing? Only one player in Rene Meulensteen's starting XI was under 28 - Adel Taarabt

Mourinho helps Hodgson?

6) Roy Hodgson is constantly worried about how few of his potential World Cup stars get regular Premier League football.

So Jose Mourinho’s decision to move David Luiz into Chelsea’s midfield in the 2-0 win at Hull looks like good news for the England manager.

It means his first choice centre half Gary Cahill, on the bench for a third of his club’s games this season when the Brazilian has partnered John Terry, now looks to have made his own the place alongside the former England skipper.

Cemented: Cahill seemingly now has his own place in the Chelsea defence, which can only be good for England

7) Not the least of Stuart Gray’s achievements since taking temporary control of Sheffield Wednesday has been to help one-time England starlet Connor Wickham to rediscover his form.

The 20-year-old, whose career has stalled since his £8million move to Sunderland in June 2011, got his eighth goal in ten games on loan at Hillsborough to contribute to the 6-0 annihilation of hapless Leeds.

Six of them have been since Gray took charge, but he will have to make the most of it. Wickham’s extended loan deal must end on January 29.

Loanee: Eight goals in ten games has made every sit up and take notice of Conor Wickham again

Ranger will test Cooper

8) Swindon’s young manager Mark Cooper is getting some good lessons on managing a maverick talent, thanks to the club’s decision to give a chance to former Newcastle striker Nile Ranger.

The Robins were ready to kick him out after the troubled 22-year-old went AWOL from training.

Cooper got his players to vote on whether they would accept an apology - and the ‘yes’ decision was rewarded when he scored the first in a 2-1 win over promotion rivals Peterborough.

Cooper said: ‘The players decided we were a better team with him than without.’

Tricky one: Ranger has a troubled past, and is sure to test Mark Cooper's management skills

9) Morecambe, two points off the play-off places in League Two, have been punching above their weight and that’s mainly because of a never-say-die spirit.

Jim Bentley’s team rescued a point against Wycombe with a late goal by Kevin Ellison – meaning they have now rescued 21 of their 37 points this season from games in which they were losing.

10) The last thing either second placed Cambridge United or leaders Luton need in the race to earn automatic promotion from the Skrill Premier League is extra games.

Neither manager would have been too happy, then, when second half goals from Tom Elliott and Ashley Chambers forced a replay in the FA Trophy clash between the clubs after Luton had led 2-0.

The game drew a crowd of 3,194 incidentally – bigger than four of the 12 gates in League Two.

Build up: Luton will have to play an extra game having drawn 2-2 with Cambridge United in the FA Trophy